Comparative analysis of geothermal heat pumps

Abstract

Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHP) belong to a class of modern sustainable technologies that use energy (heat) available underground for heating or cooling households and residential buildings, as well as commercial and industrial spaces. They are widely deployed across Europe and enable savings in primary energy sources, simultaneously cutting down the costs of heating/cooling. This paper discusses advantages of GHPs, especially the pumps of the type earth-water, and provides a comparative analysis of different types of those pumps currently available on the market according to their coefficient of performance (COP), CO2 emission footprint, and power. Based on the collected data from 309 different GHP models coming from 32 different manufacturers, we derive expressions for characterizing GHPs of the type earth-water, which can be useful in performing initial feasibility studies and system designs.